Projectile launcher



R E K L A w B PROJ ECTILE LAUNCHER 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed May '7, 1945mm. uw .wm uw. w uw. ww mm \wue/wto4b EIREIDKE V VALKER,

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Q Y Flinll n lmH|| www Sept. 13, 1949.. B. WALKER PROJECTILE LAUNCHERFiled May 7, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Sept. 13, 1949 ,UNITEDSTATES PATNT; QFFICE PROJECTILE LAUNCHER Brooks Walker, Piedmont, Calif.Application May 7, 19457,V Serial No. 592,438 (C1. 42e-1y (Granted underthe act of March 3, V1883, as

7 Claims.

amended April 30, 1928; 3704 O. G. 757) The invention described hereinmay be manufactured and used by or for the Government for governmentalpurposes without the payment to me of any. royalty thereon.

This invention relates to an improved launcher for use in launchingprojectiles such as mortar shells `and hand grenades from a rifle.

The rpresent forms of launchers employed with rifles for launching handgrenades include ladapters which form an expendable part of thelaunchers and which are launched therefrom with the grenades and remainin engagement ther-ewith until the grenades are detonated.

It is therefore a lprimary object of the [present invention to eliminatethe necessity of providing an expendable adapter member by providing animproved launcher wherein the adapter is movably mounted relatively tofixed parts of the launcher but which remains at all times in engagementtherewith and from which :a projectile is launched.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a launcher capableof not only being used for launching -hand grenades but which is alsocapable of launching mortar shells, as for eX- ample, a 60 mm. moritarshell, by applying a special adapter element to the launcher which iscapable of being quickly applied or removed.

A further aim of the invention is to provide a launcher wherein areciprocally mounted element, which carries the projectile, is projectedby operation of the expanding gases from a propelling cartridge, firedin the barrel of a rie to which the launcher is applied, to acceleratelthe projectile, and the movement of which is thereafter rapidlydecelerated for launching the projectile therefrom by inertia.

Still a further object of the' invention is to provide a launcher whichis so constructed that a portion of the propelling gases will betrapped, during acceleration of al telescoping part of the launcherwithin a chamber thereof, and thereafter utilized by being compressed todecelerate said telescoping part. Y

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter becomemore fully apparent from the followingdescription lof the drawings,which illustrate .preferred embodiments thereof, Iand wherein;

Figure 1 is a top` plan view of a preferred embodiment of the inventionand with a mortar shell shown applied thereto;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal sectional view thereof taken along the line2-2of Figure 1;

Figure 3is.a view similar to Figure 2 but showing the launcher parts inan intermediate or partially projected position;

Figure'4 is an enlarged View partially in section and partially in sideelevation showing the launcher in a ful-ly extended or projectedposition;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary, longitudinal sectional Vview` similartoFigure 4 and showing a slightlymodifled form of the launcher;

Figure 6 is a cross'sectional vieW of the launcher taken substantiallyalong a plane as indicated by the line GAG of Figure 2;

Figure 7 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of a modification`of the launcher for use with a hand grenade; and I Figure 8 is alongitudinal sectional view, partially in elevation, of Aanothermodification of the launcher for use with a hand grenade.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, wherein like referencecharacters designate like `or corresponding parts throughout :theseveral views, and referring particularly to Figures 1 to 4 and 46, I0designates gener-ally a preferred em- .fbodiment of the improvedlauncher in its entirety and whichincludes a connector member,designated generally `I I, which is pro/vided with a rst cylinder ortubular portion I2 which is adapted to nt over the muzzle Aend vof a riebarrel I3 and which is recessed in the upper portion thereof, as seen atlIIL; to accommodate the front sight I5 of the rifle. At its rear, thetubular portion I2, on opposite sides thereof, carries hinge pins I6 onwhich areipivotally mounted hinge leaves I'I and I8 vwhich are swingableinto position for engaging over theportion of the barrel I3. The hingeleaf VI'I yrearwardly of sight I5 is lprovided with threaded apertureI9, which is disposed transversely thereof. Aclamping screw 20 iscarried by the leaf `I'I by threaded engagement with the aperture andprovided with a bent end 2 I. 1 The end of the threaded portion ofthescrew Z0, which is adjacent to'rthe end 2I, is provided with a fixedcollar 22. The hinge leaf I8 is provided w'ith-a groove 23 for receivinga part of the threaded portion ofthe `s'crew'ZIl and which terminates ina recessed `seat for the collar 22 so that by tightening the screw 20the two hinged leaves willbe clamped about the barrel in an obviousmanner to thereby rigidly secure the launcher to the riile'barrel.

The tube I2 extends beyond the muzzle of the barrel I3 and the extension24 of tube I2 is aligned internally and externally with barrel I3, thebore 25 of Said extension being of slightly greater diameter than thebore of the barrel I3 and in axial alignment therewith. The extension 24is externally grooved circumferentially to form a plurality oflongitudinally spaced collars 26 of different widths and which arespaced varied distances apart. The inner end of the extension 24 isexternally threaded at 21 to receive a nut 28 which is provided with .anexternally threaded portion 29. A secondV cylinder 3l) is provided withan internally threaded end 3| which engages the externally threadedportion 29 for mounting the cylinder 30 around and in spacedrelationship to the tubular extension 24. Cylinder 36 extends beyond theforward end of the tube 24 and terminates in a restricted externallythreaded neck 32 which forms an annular rearwardly facing shoulder 33within the cylinder 30. A bushing 34 is provided with an enlargedinternally threaded socket end 35 rwhich engages the threaded neck 32and forms an extension thereof. -The bore of ,the bushing 34 is ofsubstantially the same diameter as the bore of the neck .32 and forms an.aligned continuation thereof.

' A sleeve 36 is slidably mounted in the bushing 34 and neck 32 and hasan outer end which eX- tends therebeyond. The inner end of the sleeve 36is disposed about and slidably engages the rings or collars 26 ofthetube 24 and is disposed within and radially yspaced fromrthe wall of thecylinder-36.Y The innerY end of thersleeve 36 is enlarged to form acollar 31 having an annular outwardly opening groove 38 which containsan expansion ring v33 which bears against the wall of the cylinder 30and which combines with the collar 3lto-form an annular piston for theannular cylinder chamber 4l)y formed by the cylinder 36 and the sleeve36. Sleeve 36 is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spacedports 4I which form communicatngpassages between the interior of thesleeve 36 and the chamber 40 and which are normally Yclosed byengagement with the tube Y24, as when the sleeve 36 is in a retractedposition as seeniin'Fgure 2.

The outer end of the sleeve 36, beyond the bushing 34, terminates in arestricted internally threaded neck '42 for receiving the restrictedthreaded shank 4310i a readily. removable adapter head 44. The head 44extends a. substantial distance beyond the neck 42 and is circular incross section andas indicated may be'nternally recessed and openat itsouter end. YThe adapter head 44 is sized to Yslidablyv engage theunoccupied propelling cartridge recess 45 in the tail fin assembly 46 ofa mortar shell,fs uch as a 60 mm. mortar shell, a portion -of which isshown at 41 in Figures l and 2., Ther neck 42 isA provided with aplurality of circumferentially spaced outwardly opening bores 4.8 whichare internally th-readedY to receive'headed screws 46 on each of whichis mounted aspri-ng claw or nger 50. A washer i engages around theadapter head 44 and against the vouter end of the: neck 42 and isprovided with circumferentially spaced slots 52 through whichcorrespor-irlingy portions of the lingers 56 extend forholdingpsaidngers inproperly spaced relationship relatively to onevanother. The spring fingers; or claws 5l).v combineto form a VspringYclip for; engaging: a frag-mentation hand grenade 53, as shown in.dotted lines in Figure 7, when the adapterhead 44. `isvremoved andreplaced by'a plug 54. However, the spring fingers 56 may be left inplace whilefutilizing the launcher Il) for launching; mortar shells 41as said fingers" will not interfere,l with thei .launching 01* supportof the mortar shells and will assume positions between the ns of thetail n assembly 46 and out of engagement therewith. Consequently, by thesimple expedient of substituting the plug 64 for the adapter head 44 thelauncher I6 can be used for launching either mortar shells or handgrenades.

In the embodiment of the invention previously described, the means forattaching the launcher I0 to the barrel I3 is especially constructed for`use in conjunction with a U. S. Army rifle M1903. By the Vsimpleexpedient of substituting the attaching means of a grenade launcher M7for the attaching means, illustrated in Figure 1, the launcher I6 couldbe adapted for use with a U. S. rie M1. Similarly, the launcher I0 couldbe used with the U. S. Carbine lVil and MlAl by substituting theattaching means of the carbine rifle grenade launcher for the attachingmeans, illustrated in Figure 1.

Assuming launcher Ill to be applied to rifle barrel I3, as seen inFigures 1 and 2, and with the parts thereof in retracted position readyfor operation and with the mortar shell 41 mounted on the adapter head44, when a conventional propelling cartridge is discharged in thechamber, not shown, of the rifle barrel I3, the propelling gases willinitially llthe chamber formed by the bore 26 and the portion of thesleeve 36, disposed therebeyond. The rapidly expanding gases willimpinge against the innerend of the shank 43 to cause the sleeve 36 totelescope outwardly on the tube 24 and within the cylinder 36. Thissliding movement of sleeve 36 will be guided by engagement of the sleevewith the tube or extension 24, the cylinder 30, through the collar 31,and the neck 32 and bushing 34. As the sleeve 36 is accelerated in itsoutward movement, the ports 4I will pass out of engagement with the tube24 as the sleeve 36 in moving from its position of Figure 2 reaches itsposition of Figure 3. This will uncover the ports 4I so that a part ofthe gases, as indicated by the arrows 56, will pass therethrough andinto the annular chamber 46, which has been reduced in volume by theoutward movement of the piston 3l. The outward movement of the sleeve 36will continue without substantial deceleration .until the ports 4I moveinto engagement with the neck 32 which will promptly close said portsand trap the expanding gases in the nowl diminished chamber 43. Furthermovement of the sleeve 36 outwardly will be rapidly decelerated by thecompression of the gases within the chamber 4B so that the projectile 4lwill be launched by inertia from the adapted head 44, and thejoutwardtelescoping movement of the sleeve 36 will cease at substantially itsposition of Figure 4 due to the pressureY in the now greatly reducedchamber 46.. Thus, the collar or piston 3l will' not strike the annularrearwardly facing shoulder 33 which, if it were not for the trappedgases in the chamber 40, would Aoccur with damaging results to parts oftheglauncher I6. Thus, the collar 31 functions in the chamber 46 asapistonand with the annular' rearwardly facing shoulder 33 as a xedycylinder head for the cylinder chamber 40; When the bolt, not shown, ofthe' rifle of which the barrel I3 forms a part, is opened, the gasescontained in the barrel I3 and in the extended launcher I0 will bevented through the barrel chamber so that the sleeve 36 can betelescoped inwardly and back to its initial position of Figures-f1' and2, ready for use in launching another projectile'4'l.

InfFigure 5, a. slightlymodied 'form of a launcher I0 is illustrated inwhich bushing 34 is omitted. With this embodiment,` the ports 4I moverst into engagement with the bore of the neck 32 for trapping the gasesinthe chamber 40 and thereafter move beyond the neck 32 to vent thegases from the sleeve 36to the atmosphere. This sudden release of thepressure within the sleeve 36 greatly increases the rate of decelerationof the sleeve and thus greatly augments the inertia launching of eitherthe mortar shell or fragmentation grenade from the launcher.

By the simple expedient of substituting the plug 54 for the adapter'head 44 the launcher Il) is ready for use for launching a fragmentationhand grenade, Mk. 11A1. The operation of the launcher Il) in launchingthe hand grenade is identical with its operation in the launching of amortar shell and the description of the opera# tion will not berepeated. One of the spring lingers 50, not shown, is of the typeemployed with the adapten grenade projection M1, provided with an armingclip for engaging and holding the safety lever, not shown, of thegrenade 53 after the safety pin thereof, notr shown, has been removed.This arming clip is removed by setback upon acceleration of the grenadethrough acceleration of the sleeveV 36. As its function herein isidentical as in the adapter M1 and as this feature forms no part of theclaimed invention of the present application, a further disclosurethereof is deemed unnecessary.

Figure 8 shows a slightly modified form of launcher, designatedgenerally 56, having a modied form of connecting means, designatedgenerally 51, including an elongated member 58 which is substantiallysemicircular in cross section for engaging under a rie barrel,` andwhich is provided at its rear end with a hinge 59, disposed at one sidethereof, for mounting a hinge leaf 6B, which is likewise arcuatelyshaped in cross section for engagement over the rifle barrel and whichis clamped in an operative position by a wing nut and pivoted screwconnection 6|. The forward end ofthe member 58 terminates in an enlargedinternally threaded socket 62 which receives the enlarged externallythreaded collar 63 of a tube 64 which has a bore 65 which is adapted toalign with the bore of a rifle barrel, on which the launcher 56 ismounted and which is of a larger diameter than the rine bore. The tube64 is also provided with longitudinally spaced annular grooves forminglongitudinally spaced annular collars or rings 66 whichV are ofdifferent widths and varying distances apart in correspondence-withcollars or rings 26, shown upon Figs. 2 and 3. A collar 67, formed ofsections, is removably mounted in the rearmost groove of tube 64 and isretained in an applied position by a nut 68. which engages an externallythreaded portion of the collar 61. The nut 63 is also externallythreaded to engage: the internally threaded ent-1.69 of a cylinderli,whichis disposed around and spaced from the tube 64 and which extendstherebeyond. The cylinder 10 is provided with a restricted neck 1l atits forward end forming an annular shoulder 12 which faces rearwardly. Apin 13 extends radially through and is reciprocally mounted in the neck1l and is urged inwardly thereof by a leaf spring 14, carried by theneck 1l. A sleeve 15 is slidably mounted on the tube rings 66 and in theneck 1I and is provided at its rear end with an outturned annular flangeor collar 16 the periphery of which slidably engages the inner wall ofthe cylinder 10. It will be understood that sleeve has one or more portsthrough its wall, which correspond in location and function to ports 4|in the species of Figs. 1-4. These ports do not appear iny Fig. 8because they are located in that portion of sleeve 15 which is brokenaway. A shortened sleeve section 11 is brazed or otherwise secured inthe forward end of the sleeve 15 and extends beyond the outer endthereof and forms a support for a plurality of spring claws or fingers50 which are mountedl by screws 49 in the same manner as the claws 50are mounted on the launcher l0. VA curved bracket 18 projects from aportion of the periphery of the exposed end of the sleeve 11 and carriesa pivot pin 19' by means of which a trap door or closure 8E! ispivotally supported in a position for closing the outer end of thesleeve member 11, to thus closethe outer end of the sleeve 15. The pin13 is provided with a rounded end which engages a rounded indentation 8lin the sleeve 15, when said sleeve is in a fully retracted position, asseen'in Figure 8 for holding the-sleeve thus positioned against casualdisplacement. The ange 16 functions as a piston within the annularchamber 82 in the same manner as the collar 31 of the launcher l0.

When a fragmentation'grenade 531s iapplied to the launcher 55 and heldby the claws 5l) the base of the grenade will bear against and retainthe closure S0 in a closed position in relationship to the sleeve member11. The fuze lever is held by one of the claws in the same manner aspreviously described in the description of the embodiment of Figure 7.Assuming a propelling cartridge to be red in the chamber ofV rifle,v notshown, to which the launcher 56 is connected, the initial accelerationof the sleeve15 produced by the expanding gases will cam the pin 13 outof the indentation 8l to allow the sleeve 15 to be telescoped outwardly.The outward movement of the sleeve 15 will be resisted by the air in thechamber 82 being compressed by the flange 16 moving toward the shoulder12 to restrict chamber 82. The deceleration of sleeve 15 thus producedwill only become material as the ange 16 approaches shoulder 12 and willthen increaserapidly to stop outward movement of sleeve 15 before ange16 engages shoulder 12. The inertia projection of the grenade 53 fromthe claws 50 will be augmented by force of the expanding gases bearingagainst the innerside Vof the closure which will force said closure to4`swing outwardly as the grenade is released by the claws 50 therebyaugmenting the launching of the grenade.

By removing the adapters from the threaded neck 42, ball ammunition canbe fired through the barrel I3 and through the launcher Ill withoutrequiring removal of the launcher. In fact, the launcer l0 under suchconditions will function eiectively `as a flashhider. Ball ammunitioncan also be red through the launcher 56 if the closure 80. is removed.maintained in an open position,and the launcher 56 likewise willfunctionas a ashhider.

The launcher I 0 will also function as a silencer, since there is norelease of the propelling gases therefrom until the bolt is opened sothat the report resulting from the launching of a projectile, whichordinarily occurs, will be substantially elminated.

Various other modifications and changes are contemplated and mayobviously be resorted to 'without departing from the spirit and scope oflclaim: 1. A projectile launcher for firearms comprising a launcheradapted to be mounted on the barrel of a Yfirearm to extend forwardly ofthe muzzle thereof and in gas-tight connection with the bore of saidbarrel, said launcher including a reciprocably mounted member adapted tobe projected by expanding gases from the bore of said barrel, means forreleasably mounting a projectile on the outer end of said member, andmeans including said member and responsive t a'. predetermined forwardmovement of said member for receiving trapping and compressing a part 0fthe propelling gases, said gases acting to stop the outward movement ofthe member and to thereby launch the projectile therefrom by inertia,

' 2. In a missile launcher, a tube, a cylinder of larger diameter thansaid tube, means rigidly connecting said tube 'and cylinder at theirrear ends in coaxial relation, said tube terminating within andsubstantially midway between the end of said cylinder, said cylinderhaving a reduced extension at its forward end having an internaldiameter a little greater than the external diameter of said tube, asleeve of substantially the same length as said cylinder and slidablyfitting said tube and reduced forward end of saidV cylinder, ingas-tight relation therewith, piston means rigid with the rear end ofsaid tube and having a gas-tight sliding fit in said cylinder, therebeing an aperture in the wall of. said sleeve in position to be closedby said tube when said sleeve is in rearwardmost position in saidcylinder, means for closing the forward end of said sleeve, means forreleasably mounting a missile on said forward end of said sleeve, andmeans for rigidly mounting said tube in gas-tight relation with themuzzle of a riile barrel and in coaxial relation therewith, saidaperture moving on the end of said tube and into said reduced forwardend during a full forward stroke of said sleeve.

3. A launcher as recited in claim 2, the forward end of said sleevehaving a forwardly extending projection adapted to slidably fit thepropelling cartridge recess of a standard motar shell.

4. In a missile launcher, a tube, a cylinder, means rigidly connectingsaid tube and cylinder in coaxial relation at one end, said cylinderbeing of greater length than said tube and having an internaldiameter'greater than the external diameter of said tube, to form anannular chamber therebetween, said cylinder having an extension at itsforward end reduced to an internal diameter alittle greater than theexternal diameter of said tube, a sleeve. slidably fitting over saidtube and slidably tting and extending through said forward reducedextension, said sleeve having piston means at its rear end in slidinggastight relation with the internal wall of said cylinder, to Vform achamber between the walls of said cylinder and said sleeve whichdecreases in volume as 'said sleeve' slides outwardly lalong .said tubeand cylinder, said sleeve having an' aperture through its wall inposition to be closed by the walls of said'tube when said sleeve is inrearwardmost position and which places said chamber in communicationwith the interior of said tube and sleeve as said sleeve moves forwardlyto a position where said aperture clears the forward end of said tube,means for rigidly attaching said tube to the muzzle of a rifle barrel ingas-tight relation therewith, and in coaxial relation with the borethereof, means closing the forward end of said sleeve, and means fordetachably mounting a missile on the forward end of said sleeve.

5. A launcher as recited in claim 4, said aperture being so locatedlongitudinally of said sleeve that said aperture passes Yinto thereduced forward end of said cylinder as said sleeve ap'- proaches itsforward limit of travel, to thereby trap a quantity of gas in saidannular chamber. 6. In a projectile launcher, a tube, lmeans adapted torigidly mount said tube on and in gas-tight relation with the muzzle ofthe barrel of a rearm in coaxial relation with and forwardly extendingfrom said muzzle, a sleeve having a closed forward end and reciprocablyfitting said tube, means on the forward end of said tube to detaohablymount a projectile, and cylinder means external and coaxial of saidtube, said cylinder means coacting with said sleeve to receive and trapa quantity of propelling gas from said barrel, only after said sleevehas moved for-Y wardly on said tube a predetermined distance, saidcylinder means and'sleeve thereafter compressing said trapped gas tovthereby check further forward movement of said sleeve and thereby launchsaid projectile.

7. Aprojectile launcher as in claim 1, Vsaid re- -ciprocably mountedmember having a removable closure element in its forward end to allowpassage of a bullet from said barrel through said launcher, when saidclosure is removed.

BROOKS WALKER.

REFERENCES CTED The followingreferences are of record in the 'lle ofthis patent: Y

UNITED STATES PATENTS Y

